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This idea that you can't be an honest man and a Washington politician is a myth, a crock made up by sellouts and careerist hacks who don't stand for anything and are impatient with people who do. It's possible to do this job with honor and dignity.

Suppose you were an idiot, and suppose you were a member of Congress; but I repeat myself.

Well, just that there would be somebody in the office and the voters - it was more or less an understanding in the entire community, as long as that person was doing a good job on the merits, nobody was going to run against him.

Some day, the public might actually revolt against the undemocratic system of seniority that allows Congress to keep the old ways of Washington ingrained into the culture of Congress.

I know I'd be an absolutely horrendous politician.

I'm not a politician. I'd make a lousy politician.

If you had to put people, senators - if they had to go for their V.A. to get care, it would probably get fixed.

I will not say I would not serve if the good people were imprudent enough to elect me.

You can lead a man to Congress, but you can't make him think.

I will make a general statement that we have not had anything like the policy of holding people in high office responsible for their acts that I think we should.